Pumpkin Marble Cheesecake

1 ½ cups graham crumbs
1 Tbsp sugar
¼ cup butter, melted
½ cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
2 – 8oz pkgs. Cream cheese
¾ cup sugar
3 eggs
½ cup sour cream
1 tsp VE vanilla
2 Tbsp finely diced VE Crystallized Ginger
1 cup pumpkin puree
¾ tsp VE Cinnamon
¼ tsp each of VE Ginger and VE Nutmeg
Or you could substitute with VE Pumpkin Pie Spice

Mix crumbs, Tbsp sugar, melted butter, and pecans; press into bottom of 9” springform pan. Bake @ 350F for 5 mins. Remove.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese with ½ cup of the sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, beat in sour cream and vanilla. Remove 1 ½ cups of mixture and add the crystallized ginger to the batter you have removed. Set aside.

To remaining batter, blend in remaining sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Pour over baked crust. Using large spoon, add dollops of reserved light-colored batter; swirl together with knife.

Bake in 350F oven for 60 – 70 mins, or until puffed and no longer shiny in center. Allow to cool at room temperature. Chill for a few hours before serving.

Pears Poached in Mulling Spice with Canadian Maple Chocolate Sauce
Serves 4

1 recipe prepared VE Mulling Spices
2 large pears, peeled, cored and sliced in half vertically
¼ cup whipping cream
1/3 cup VE Canadian Maple Belgian Chocolate
½ tsp VE Vanilla Extract

1. While VE Mulling Spices are simmering, add pears and poach until fork tender.
2. In a small pot, heat whipping cream to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in VE Canadian Maple Belgian Chocolate until melted. Stir in VE Vanilla Extract.
3. Place poached pears on a serving plate and drizzle with warm Canadian Maple Chocolate sauce. Serve with a mug of VE Mulling Spices used to poach pears.

Mulling Spice Dessert Syrup
Yields about 1 cup

2 cups apple juice, red wine or cranberry juice
2 tsp VE Mulling Spice
¼ cup sugar
¼ tsp VE Vanilla Extract

1. Combine all ingredients in a small pot, stir well and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 15 – 20 minutes, or until liquid is thick and syrup.
2. While hot, strain syrup through stainless steel strainer and pour over vanilla ice cream, fruitcake, or almond biscotti.

Mocha Pudding Cake
Serves 4 to 6

¾ cup (180 ml) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (80 ml) white sugar
2 Tbsp (30 ml) VE Pure Cocoa
1 tsp (5ml) VE Baking Powder
1/3 cup (80 ml) milk
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp (30 ml) melted butter
1 tsp (5 ml) VE Vanilla Extract
Sauce:
¾ cup (180 ml) firmly packed brown sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) VE Pure Cocoa
1 cup (250 ml) hot coffee

1. Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C).
2. Lightly butter and 8" x 8" (20 x 20cm) square glass baking dish.
3. Whisk together first 4 ingredients in mixing bowl. Stir in milk, egg, butter and VE Vanilla Extract until just combined. Batter will be slightly lumpy. 4. Spread batter into prepared pan. Mix together sauce ingredients and pour over top. Do not stir. 5. Bake for 30 minutes or until cake is firm when gently touched. 6. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Per serving: Calories 440, Fat 11 g (Saturated 6 g, Trans 0.2 g), Cholesterol 80 mg, Sodium 170 mg, Carbohydrate 83 g (Fibre 4 g, Sugars 57 g), Protein 8 g.

Spicy Maple Glaze
Yields about 1 cup (250 ml)

1 cup (250 ml) sugar
3 Tbsp (45 ml) VE Canadian Maple Coffee Topper
3/4 cup (180 ml) water
1 - 2 tsp (5 - 10 ml) VE Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) VE Vanilla Extract

1. Combine sugar, VE Canadian Maple Coffee Topper, water and VE Pumpkin Pie Spice in small multi pot. Place over medium heat and simmer 10 - 15 minutes, or until sugar is melted, water has evaporated and a thick syrup remains.
2. Remove from heat. Stir in VE Vanilla Extract and serve warm with pancakes, waffles or drizzled on hot cereal.

Per 1 Tbsp (15 ml): Calories 60, Fat 0 g (Saturated 0 g, Trans 0 g), Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 1 mg, Carbohydrate 15 g (Fibre 0 g, Sugars 15 g),Protein 0 g.

Creamy Rice Pudding
Serves 4

4 cups (1 L) cold water
1 cup (250 ml) long grain white rice
3 cups (750 ml) milk
¼ cup (60 ml) raisins
½ cup (125 ml) sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) VE Poudre Douce
½ tsp (2.5 ml) VE Vanilla Extract

1. Combine water and rice in a large multi pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for approximately 35 minutes, or until rice is very tender.
2. Add milk, raisins, sugar and VE Poudre Douce. Simmer uncovered, stirring regularly until milk is absorbed and pudding is creamy, about 20 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and stir in VE Vanilla Extract. Serve warm with a sprinkling of VE Decorating Sugar or your favourite VE Coffee Topper.

Per serving: Calories 430, Fat 4 g (Saturated 2.5 g, Trans 0.1 g), Cholesterol 15 mg, Sodium 100 mg, Carbohydrate 87 g (Fibre 1 g, Sugars 33 g), Protein 11 g.

Low-fat Brownies
Makes 16 brownies

1/2 cup (125 ml) VE Pure Cocoa
1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 ml) VE Baking Powder
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) salt
2 Tbsp (30 ml) butter
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) white sugar
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1/2 cup (125 ml) unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp (5 ml) VE Vanilla Extract

1. Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C). Using the spray pump, lightly mist an 8" (20 cm) square baking pan with vegetable oil.
2. Sift VE Pure Cocoa, flour, VE Baking Powder and salt into a medium mixing bowl. In a large bowl beat together butter and sugar. Add egg whites, applesauce and VE Vanilla Extract. Mix wet and dry ingredients until just combined.
3. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes. Cool in pan and cut into squares for serving.

Per brownie: Calories 140, Fat 2.5 g, (Saturated 1.5 g, Trans 0 g), Cholesterol 5 mg, Sodium 105 mg, Carbohydrate 30 g (Fibre 2 g, Sugars 20 g), Protein 2 g.

Belgian Chocolate Fondue
Yields approximately 2 cups (500 ml)

1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream
1 cup (250 ml) VE Belgian Chocolate, any kind
½ tsp (2.5 ml) VE Vanilla Extract
Optional - 2 Tbsp (30 ml) liqueur, any kind

1. Bring cream to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat.
2. Add VE Belgian Chocolate and stir until melted. Stir in VE Vanilla Extract and liqueur, if desired.
3. Pour into a serving bowl and keep warm. Serve with a selection of fruit, toasted pound cake and bite-sized cookies.

Per 1/4 cup (60 ml): Calories 270, Fat 20 g (Saturated 12 g, Trans 0 g), Cholesterol 40 mg, Sodium 15 mg, Carbohydrates 18 g (Fibre 2 g, Sugars 14 g), Protein 3 g.

Chinese Five-Spice Oatmeal Cookies

2 cups butter, softened
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp VE Vanilla
6 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp VE cinnamon
1 tbsp VE Chinese Five-Spice
1 tsp each baking soda & salt
3 cups dried cranberries or raisins

Line baking pan with parchment paper & set aside. In bowl, beat butter with brown sugar until light & fluffy; beat in eggs, 1 at a time, & VE Vanilla. In separate bowl, mix together oats, flour, VE Chinese Five-Spice Powder, VE Cinnamon, baking soda & salt. Stir into butter mixture in 3 additions. Stir in cranberries. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared pan, 2 inches apart; flatten slightly. Bake in 350F oven for about 12 minutes or until bottoms are golden. Let cool on pan for about 2 minutes then remove to cooling rack to cool completely. Makes about 90 cookies. Recipe could easily be cut in half.